Council proposes to create at least 4 multi-storey parking lots throughout Glen Eira. Two are to be located in Bentleigh. If we are to take the pictures at face value, then one at least will be 4 storeys and possibly higher.
Not a single word has yet been spelt out as to cost and timing. Instead, residents have been provided with several documents on ‘case studies’, including the Monash Council’s development of the Atkinson Street multi parking site. Council also insists on citing the cost for this development as $7.1 million. This is only half of the stor(e)y (pun intended!) since the Atkinson Street development is only for 2 levels of car parking and not the three proposed by Glen Eira. Furthermore, the overall cost was $8.7 million of which $1.6 million was paid by Monash’s levies on developers.
Here is part of the Monash Council’s report from 2015. We’ve uploaded the full document HERE
Bearing in mind that this document was produced in 2015 and costs have surely gone up in 3 years, the following deserves close attention –
Moonee Valley Council also provides some food for thought in their council report on the prospect of developing multi level car parks.
Needless to say, Glen Eira council has simply decided to erect all of these multi-level car parks without providing the necessary documentation (ie strategic justification) for its proposals as cited in the above Moonee Valley document. Surely before any commitment is made to expend millions upon millions of dollars that such undertakings must be fully planned, costed, and details provided to residents!
Making matters even worse is the fact that according to council’s Strategic Resource Plan, Glen Eira is currently in debt to the tune of $18.4 million at the close of the last financial year – the result of borrowing $25 million for GESAC and the hefty interest rates incurred. If each car park will cost in the vicinity of $8 – $9 million at least, then that is roughly another $32 million that is needed but which council certainly does not have at the moment. Thus the question becomes:
- When will any of this actually be completed? Well after developers erect their dog boxes and are granted car parking waivers?
- It is certainly on the cards that much public land will be sold off to developers
- It is certainly on the cards that meters will be introduced in order to bring in some cash
- What other costs will rise in order to pay for these decisions?
- Will Council attempt to borrow even more (up to the legal $25m) so that we are again in hock up to our ears?
Like everything else with this council residents are invited to give their opinions when the most basic information is with-held or hasn’t even been compiled as yet. Do residents really want to spend a fortune on high rise concrete bunkers is the question and what are the alternatives to this massive long term investment? Have alternatives even been considered? How much extra would underground parking cost?
Questions abound. Answers are in very, very short supply!
March 25, 2018 at 8:01 PM
If you count the roof level on the Oakleigh car park it really 3 levels, it also rudely abuts a home on the boundary line. If this was my home I would like it at all. It amazed there is never money for anything other than more and more concrete. We should rename Glen Eira to The City of ConTown
March 25, 2018 at 8:46 PM
My reading of feedback is that people don’t want this kind of car park. It is ugly, and will cost a mint in security.
March 26, 2018 at 7:29 AM
Crazy idea full stop.
March 26, 2018 at 2:15 PM
Lack of money is no deterrent. Not when you’ve got 20 years worth of making promises and then forget all about keeping them. Perfect example is current planning scheme.
March 26, 2018 at 2:31 PM
Melbourne City council no longer supply car parking as it is too cost prohibitive; that job is left to private enterprise eg Kings car parking and private individuals are buying-up the old existing parking spots. It costs around $150k per car space in the city and many new developments are only providing one if any car spots at all. In Melbourne CBD there is an active market in buying and selling car spaces. So why do Glen Eira think they can afford something that everyone else has excepted the fact that its public transport in built up areas. Its simply not the job of council to provide car parking nor is it the CEO’s job to provide “Strategic plans forward” that is the job of our councillors. The CEO is there to manage the day to day running’s of council but she has a much bigger vision as to what her job entails…..Lets have a rate payer referendum and see if parking gets over the line. If rate payers are expected to pay for this then the vote should be with them. Why are our elected councillors AND THE MAYOR not uniting and telling the CEO this is not the direction we want to go and lets stop wasting time and money on something that is pure folly. “Pick up the rubbish and pull your head in”.
March 26, 2018 at 3:10 PM
Worth pointing out that Melbourne Council and a few others have instituted a resident panel to provide councils feedback on the budget – ie what the priorities should be and how the money can be best spent. Nothing like this exists in Glen Eira. No one is asked whether or not multi storey car parking, as you point out, is the way to go. No resident is asked whether it is a good idea to spend over $2 million on a property that is then rented out for year after year. Nor is any resident asked whether it is good financial policy to sign off on a $25m loan at over 8% fixed interest rate for years on end and then finally when the penny drops to “renegotiate” this with a penalty rate of over $4m. Also worth remembering is that every, and we mean every, single major development undertaken by this council has either ended up in court (GESAC, Duncan MckInnon) or involved major budget blowouts. The only conclusion we can draw is that council simply does not possess the “expertise” to undertake such major infrastructure works.
March 26, 2018 at 2:35 PM
Why don’t the current councillor’s tell us what they think about multi storey car parking; surely they have a view? come on Nina/Jim/Jamie etc what is your opinion? You have a view, lets share it so when we vote will remember what you said.
March 26, 2018 at 6:46 PM
They will vote along with the bureaucrats as usual, it save them having to think about it. Remember Cr Davies very recent quote on Elsternwick when she said she hadn’t thought at 12 stories. It just so much easier to go along with the power base.
March 26, 2018 at 7:34 PM
Reckon its the other way round. Bureaucrats are taking directions from the Councillors. Nothing goes up to a Council Meeting unless a select few Councillors are happy. If the residents jump up and down in the interim the Councillors then propose some meaningless alternate motion. The absence of independent thinking amongst the group is also a disgrace. Only need to look at the voting on the structure plans and the stern reprimand that the sole objector received.
March 26, 2018 at 2:42 PM
Our current councillors spend far too much time on planning issues and nothing on “the future” is that because they don’t have any idea on what they would like for the future or is it just like the old days of back stabbing. I would love to see what the current mob think about hi rise car parking?…just saying.
March 26, 2018 at 4:39 PM
More of the famous racecourse fence blew down so their solution is to wedge pieces of wood between trees and the fence to hold it up; a lot of the fence now has the sharp edge exposed. Wasn’t this the reason for not replacing it. A jockey could get impaled
March 27, 2018 at 1:14 PM
The new racecourse trustees have just been appointed. Andrews has done a great job of appointing cronies. Makes the CFA board look totally independent by comparison. Don’t expect things to change.
March 27, 2018 at 4:11 PM
Who and where is this info
March 27, 2018 at 9:08 PM
Ask Southwick or Dimopoulos they would know.
March 26, 2018 at 10:16 PM
Can you imagine how quickly the graffiti artists would descend on this monolith. It would be a eye sore just like the overhead rail will become in the future. Council do a good job trying to remove graffiti but they are losing the battle so lets create yet another space for the half wits to deface…..what a joke.